"Thank you! Thank you, Fellow Zhao!! I will write it immediately!"
Li Yunhai seemed to come back to life as he quickly wrote the deed and then pressed his own handprint on it.
Zhao Yu, honoring the agreement, handed over ten Spirit Stones to Li Yunhai.
"Xianjiao, Dad will definitely come to fetch you! I will surely make a killing at the Jinyuan Casino, win a great fortune. Then, I will redeem both your mother and you, and we will reunite as a family! During this time, just stay obediently by Uncle Zhao Yu's side and behave well."
Li Yunhai clenched the ten Spirit Stones tightly, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes as his handsome face slightly contorted with excitement.
Li Xianjiao just stared indifferently at Li Yunhai with her eyes, swollen from crying.
Li Yunhai, holding the bag of Spirit Stones, went straight in the direction of the Jinyuan Casino.
Zhao Yu closed the door and led Li Xianjiao inside the house.
Zhao Yu said indifferently, "From today, this is your home! You will take care of the household chores! Although your father sold you to me, when you come of age if you want to leave, I will grant you your freedom."
Li Xianjiao knelt on the ground and sobbed uncontrollably, "Uncle Zhao, I beg you, please help save my mother! I kneel before you!"
Zhao Yu slowly shook his head, "I am merely a cultivator at the Second Layer of Qi Refinement; I am powerless!"
Zhao Yu surmised that Li Yunhai must have pawned his wife for hundreds of Spirit Stones to the Jinyuan Casino. The Jinyuan Casino would increase the price even further if they sold her to the Hundred Flowers Building, and redeeming Zheng Qiaoman from there would cost thousands of Spirit Stones, which was impossible.
Zhao Yu said, "Alright, no more crying! Get to work!"
"Yes!"
Li Xianjiao, unable to stop her tears, tremblingly went about the chores under Zhao Yu's directions.
Zhao Yu watched Li Xianjiao, who was sweeping the floor, and asked, "What is your Spirit Root? Can you cultivate?"
Li Xianjiao felt her eyes redden, and tears tumbled down, "I don't know. Mom said she would help me test my Spirit Root in a few months!"
Zhao Yu did not inquire further but let Li Xianjiao continue with her chores, helping distract her from her thoughts.
Zhao Yu maintained his simple life of daily cultivation of various Martial Arts, Earth Elemental Skill, and drawing Talismans, and Li Xianjiao had adjusted to this life after a few days.
A few days later, as Zhao Yu and Li Xianjiao stepped out of their home, they saw He Fangfang exiting her doorway.
Zhao Yu greeted, "Fellow He, good morning!"
He Fangfang, with a coquettish smile, "Fellow Zhao, I've heard a piece of news recently; Li Yunhai has gone to mine in the Chiyan Cave, and Zheng Qiaoman has been taken to the Hundred Flowers Building! Be careful of the Jinyuan Casino; they seem to have set their sights on Li Xianjiao. After all, some clients at the Hundred Flowers Building have unique tastes."
The Chiyan Cave, rich in red crystal sand essential for Artifact Refining, has extremely high temperatures that ordinary humans can barely survive, only cultivators can mine there. A cultivator at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining like Li Yunhai would slowly deteriorate after mining there for a few years, eventually dying in the mines.
Zhao Yu took out a piece of Spirit Sand and handed it to He Fangfang, "Fellow He, thank you for the warning. This is a small token of my appreciation, please accept it!"
He Fangfang accepted the Spirit Sand without any qualms.
Zhao Yu, accompanied by Li Xianjiao, went to the Market and easily sold all the stocked talismans for warding off evil, then bought several dozen pounds of Demon Beast Meat, Spirit Rice, vegetables, and various seasonings before heading home.
"Is that Monk Jiuguang?"
When Zhao Yu neared his home, he saw Monk Jiuguang standing in front of his house.
"Fellow Zhao, I am here on behalf of Jinyuan Casino to discuss a business matter with you!"
Monk Jiuguang gave a slight smile, his gaze instantly falling on Li Xianjiao standing next to Zhao Yu, filled with greed.
"Was it you and Chen Lifen who set up the plot and harmed Li Yunhai?"
Zhao Yu suddenly had an epiphany, feeling somewhat frightened. Had he not been cautious, he might have succumbed to vanity, dragged down by Monk Jiuguang and Chen Lifen.
Li Xianjiao's expression shifted, staring intently at Monk Jiuguang, her eyes flickering with a glint of hatred.
Monk Jiuguang feigned sincerity, "That was Li Yunhai's own choice. We did not force him to pawn his wife; it was his own decision to borrow money from the casino in a fit of desperation. We had no choice!"
Zhao Yu said coolly, "What business, speak!"
Monk Jiuguang chuckled, "I heard you bought his daughter from Li Yunhai for ten Spirit Stones. Our Jinyuan Casino is willing to offer twenty Spirit Stones to buy her. In less than ten days, you would have made ten Spirit Stones. Isn't this a good deal?"
Li Xianjiao instantly clutched Zhao Yu's hand tightly, her eyes filled with fear.
Zhao Yu said, "I have no intention of selling her, you can leave!"
Monk Jiuguang's face darkened, a powerful aura of Middle Stage of Qi Refining wafted from him as he threatened coldly, "Fellow Daoist Zhao, twenty Spirit Stones is no small sum! You'd better be sensible and hand her over in exchange for the stones! If you don't give our Jinyuan Casino face, then don't blame us for not giving you a way out!"
Zhao Yu responded indifferently, "Oh? Are you suggesting you want to take action within the Market? Do you not even regard the Cangling Sect Law Enforcement Team?"
Monk Jiuguang laughed coldly and threatened, "Our Jinyuan Casino always abides by the rules of the Cangling Sect. However, there are always some reckless desperados in the world who dare to take risks. Especially those gamblers blinded by the desire to make up for their losses!"
Zhao Yu said, "Are you done speaking? If so, then leave! I'm not interested in this deal!"
Monk Jiuguang laughed furiously in response, "Good! Good! Good! You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! You will regret this soon!"
Having said this, Monk Jianguang turned and left.
"Jinyuan Casino! Quite troublesome! It seems that step is necessary now!"
Zhao Yu thought for a moment, did not return home, but directly took Li Xianjiao to the Cangling Sect's station, and rented a small courtyard on the edge of the Market Center District for ten Spirit Stones a month, only then did he return home to pack.
"Fellow Daoist Zhao, where are you going?"
He Fangfang had just seen off a guest when she saw Zhao Yu and Li Xianjiao walking out heavily laden, and couldn't help but ask curiously.
Zhao Yu said, "Fellow Daoist He! We are planning to move to reside in the Market Center District."
"The Market Center District, that costs ten Spirit Stones a month! That's truly enviable~!"
He Fangfang's gaze fell on Li Xianjiao beside Zhao Yu, revealing a trace of envy and jealousy.
Residing in the Market Center District was almost the dream of the majority in the Market. Yet, the high rent of ten Spirit Stones a month in the Market Center District deterred most Loose Cultivators.
If Zhao Yu were to suggest taking He Fangfang as a concubine at this moment, she would definitely agree immediately.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Zhao!"
"Fellow Daoist Zhao, if there's anything you need help with in the future, just speak up!"
".….."
Several nearby neighbors came over to congratulate Zhao Yu upon hearing he was moving to the core area.
Amidst many envious and jealous glances, Zhao Yu led Li Xianjiao to their new home.
"The Market Center District! Finally moved in! This is where a cultivator should live! But the cost is too high! Ten Spirit Stones a month!"
Zhao Yu looked at the spacious courtyard with thick spiritual energy and exquisitely elegant, first delighted, then with a pained expression glanced at Li Xianjiao beside him: "Such a heavy price for a moment of kindness. But I could not bring myself to push her into the fire when I had the power to save her."